Why Texas Southern will win: Aaric Murray, the former West Virginia center, could dominate. The SWAC player of the year, Murray had a triple-double against Wiley College. Against Temple in December, he also set an NCAA mark for individual points scored in a single game this season (48), becoming the first player 6-10 or taller to score 48 points in a game in more than a decade. Madarious Gibbs is one of the Tigers' top scoring threats. And Lawrence Johnson-Danner is one of their top outside shooters. One issue for Texas Southern: The Tigers rank 315th in turnover margin.

Why Cal Poly will win: Cal Poly is hot. The Mustangs won just 10 games during the regular season before winning three in a row in the Big West tournament to claim the league's automatic berth. They became the first No. 7 seed in the 39-year history of the Big West tournament to beat a No. 1 seed. Cal Poly is not going to turn the ball over. It ranks fifth nationally with just nine turnovers per game. And it allows just 63.5 points per game. The Mustangs need to rely on defense because they make just 41% of their field goal attempts, which ranks 313th nationally.

History lesson: Cal Poly earned its first NCAA tournament invitation in 20 Division I seasons by winning the Big West tournament. Texas Southern is making its fifth NCAA tournament appearance and first since 2003.

Did you know? The most successful Cal Poly team is the 1980-81 team that reached the Division II Final Four before losing in the national semifinals to Florida Southern. And Cal Poly's last NCAA tournament came at the 1986 Division II West Regional.

Why Iowa will win: The Hawkeyes have two impact players who earned all-Big Ten recognition. Roy Devyn Marble is believed to be only the second Big Ten player since 1985-86 with more than 1,650 points, 375 assists, 450 rebounds and 175 steals. Aaron White is the only player in the country to shoot better than 55% from the field and 80% from the free throw line. Nine Hawkeyes average at least 15 minutes a game. Iowa looked like a Final Four dark horse until it dropped six of its last seven games.

Why Tennessee will win: Since losing at Texas A&M on Feb. 22, the Volunteers have been one of the hotter teams in the country. Winners of five of their last six games, they have held their last four opponents to an average of 47.4 points per game. Watch Tennessee on the offensive boards; it ranks fifth nationally in offensive rebounding percentage. The Volunteers rank among the nation's top 30 in both offensive and defensive efficiency. This could be a dangerous team, and not just in the "First Four."

History lesson: Iowa coach Fran McCaffery is the 12th coach to lead four different teams — Lehigh, UNC-Greensboro, Siena, Iowa — to the NCAA tournament.

Did you know? Iowa, playing in the "First Four" in Dayton, has just one Ohio native on its roster, White, a native of Strongsville. White said he received just one scholarship offer from a team in a BCS-level conference — Iowa — while he was in high school.